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Empire Communities Becomes First Residential Builder in North America to Achieve ASHRAE 241's Clean Air Requirements for Indoor Health with ERTH360 Air

August 19, 2024
Empire Communities

Vaughan, Ontario, Aug. 12, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Empire Communities, an award-winning residential homebuilder in Canada and the United States is proud to announce that its standard home model featuring ERTH360 Air enhancements has achieved the rigorous clean airflow requirements of ASHRAE Standard 241 — the new high bar for infection resiliency. This first-of-its-kind achievement is a testament to Empire's commitment to providing homes with the highest standards of indoor health and sustainability. ASHRAE Standard 241, Control of Infectious Aerosols, is a landmark standard published in July 2023 and applies to all building types, commercial and residential.

The clean air performance of Empire's standard home with ERTH360 Air was evaluated and verified to meet the standard's targets using a new test method that ASHRAE Standard 241 introduced to the industry, known as 'air tracing'. Poppy, a venture-backed company based in San Francisco, has pioneered air tracing as a rapid, low-cost commissioning / retro-commissioning technology and service for any building. The Poppy Certify program has been used in over 1,000 locations globally, promoting gold-standard health measures while reducing energy consumption and carbon emissions. Empire's attainment of Poppy Certify status underscores the company's commitment to creating a healthier and safer environment for its homeowners.

About Empire Communities: Empire Communities is a vertically-integrated homebuilder involved in all sectors of the new home-building industry, including both low-rise and high-rise built forms. Celebrating over 30 years of building inspiring new places to live, Empire has an established tradition of creating prestigious award-winning new homes, communities and amenities, and has earned a reputation for outstanding attention to detail and customer service. Since its inception in 1993, Empire has built and sold over 35,000 new homes and condos. Today, Empire is one of North America's largest privately held integrated residential homebuilders, with current communities in Toronto, Southwestern Ontario, Texas, Georgia, North and South Carolina, and Tennessee.